How often are you supose to change your breaks?

Question

How much on an average to they charge to change your break at a shop including labor? Or to do them yourself how much do the breaks cost only? My sister has a friend that knows how to change breaks, I want to know the price difference so I can see how much I can/would save? I don't know a thing about cars. I have a 2002 Ford Focus.

Answer 1

When depends on how you drive and the terrain that you drive in, when you start to hear the chirping/squeeling whenever you stop that is the warning sign. To take in to a shop for the whole car $200 - $400 dependent upon if they say you need new rotors, or drums. TO buy the pads and replace them yourself About $20 for the front and $25 for the rear. and about an hour to two hours time. Should be good for 36-46K in miles again dependent upon your driving habits

Answer 2

Different types of brake pads mean different amounts of wear they will take, before having to be changed. Organic pads will wear a lot faster than metal pads. Brake changes, also, will cost different amounts at different places. It comes down to what you get for your money. When shopping for prices, ask what you get from them with their service. Some places will do the absolute minimum they can, and so will charge less than somewhere they will do more. Many places will use inferior product also. Sometimes you can purchase the needed pads and/or drums/rotors yourself, thereby saving yourself the markup the shop will charge on the parts. Some places will charge you a bit more on the labor if you don't use their parts but, this may not be a bad thing. At the very least, you will have to pay for pads, for turning the rotors and/of drums, fluid, and labor for the removal and replacement of the parts and the bleeding and setting of the brakes (setting of brake shoes, consists of driving the car in reverse and stepping on the brakes, in most applications).

Having a "friend of a friend who knows how to change brakes" is something you will have to think about. As you can see, brakes are an important thing to have done correctly, as they keep you, anyone in your car, and anyone you might run into (if it isn't done right) safe. Make sure they know what they are doing and that they do everything that needs to be done. R/R the pads/shoes, correctly; turn the rotors/drums or replace if they are too worn, correctly; bleed the lines, correctly and set the brakes, correctly. Some guy, changing your brakes incorrectly, will not give you a warranty on labor and parts other than, " hey, what do you want from me? If you wanted a professional job, you should've gone to a pro."

Be careful, it could mean your, or someone else's life.

Oh, when the brakes are worn, you will hear a squeeling from the brakes, when they are used, which will, gradually, as you keep going without fixing them, turn into a metal on metal grinding. There are metal tabs, called squeelers, built into the pads which come into contact with the rotor/drum when a certain amount of pad is worn off. I've seen pads neglected so long, they wore through the rotor, almost completely. Not good! Oh, and if the rotors aren't turned during the service, you will get a chattering of the pad on the rotor which will be felt throught the brake pedal.

Answer 3

It really depends. I haven't touched my brakes in over 60k miles and I know there is still a bit of material left on the pads and rotors. Some people can wear them out in 20k miles. If you overuse them then they will wear faster. It also depends wether you have discs or drums at the back and how worn the rotors are. It may cost you only $350 to have the whole brake system redone: pads or shoes, discs and related parts. No more than $400. If you do it yourself you could do both front and rear for under $250 in parts.

Answer 4

I used to take a break after I changed one front brake pad, before I changed the second brake pad. I always got them from the dealer (Honda) because the ones from a parts supply really arent as good, although a good bit cheaper. The front pads used to last me about 50,000 miles but now I'm at 70,000 miles on our 2003 Toyota Camry with some wear left (according to the Toyota dealership mechanic). How long they last depends on how you drive. If you brake a lot, they wear out quicker. I think it costs about $100 if Toyota changes them, but WHY DON"T YOU CALL THE FORD DEALERSHIP?? Their price will be the most you should pay.

Answer 5

Disc Brakes are easy to inspect when rotating tires. It's best to check the thickness of the pads every six months. Don't wear them down to a minimum thickness of .090. Premium ceramic pads should last 36,000- 60,000 miles on your lightweight car. Do not install metallic pads. They will eat your rotors for desert and shed rotten red / black brake dust on your wheels and tires. They are too easy to do yourself if you have a knoledgeable person clean the slider pins, lubricate and carefully measure the thickness of yuur old rotors. If they are too thin for reconditioning pick up either American or Canadian premium parts at NAPA or Car Quest. Autozone has off shore rotors only. Not worth installing. Life expectancy is two yrs. max on all odd-shore rotors if you live in northern climates where rust and corrosion tale their toll on less than quality cast iron.

Answer 6

Quick answer
for me to do it 450 with new rotors and pads.
for you rotors are about 40 each and pads run from 20 - 50 for the pair
Buy the parts and the sisters friend dinner and call it a day.

Answer 7

6 to 8 months

Answer 8

On disc brakes you change the pads when they are worn down to less than 1/8 inch.
In a shop it will cost about 200-300 dollars.
the pads cost between 30.00-100.00 depending on quality.

Answer 9

about every 8 months to once a year

Answer 10

every car is differerent. The only answer I can give is you have the brakes done when they're worn out.